Although video data is an important part of digital life, transmitting video data remains an arduous process. Video files are often very large, and the size of video files can make transfer over the Internet a lengthy process. Moreover, video transfer systems can use a large number of encoder-decoder programs (codecs) and associated formats. Video transfer systems may also use a similarly large number of “wrapper” formats that encapsulate video data and associated metadata, further limiting video compatibility. Therefore, even when a lengthy Internet transfer process is complete, it is not certain that a recipient has the ability to view the video.
Video files on web servers are typically stored in a single, common format. This is usually an acceptable situation when users only want to play video. However, in certain situations, a recipient may want to edit received videos. Unfortunately, video editing software often must perform time-consuming conversion processes on popular web video formats, resulting in poor user experiences.
In addition, digital media files often are measured in terms of file size, such as megabytes and gigabytes. However, to a non-technical user, this may be difficult to understand. This is also inconsistent with other units of measurement used in handling video files. For example, while watching a video, a user's progress is measured in terms of hours, minutes, and seconds.
There are many services on the Internet for sharing digital media. For example, users may share rich text, audio, video and interactive content. However, users often have the burden to publish such digital media files. Additionally, such services often are web-based and do not allow for access from different kinds of devices, software, and interfaces.
In the professional realm, recorded media often is stored as multiple, related files rather than a single, contiguous file. For example, professional digital video cameras often create multiple video files instead of a single, contiguous file when shooting footage.